Bad times in West Cumbria

When I saw Whitehaven at Fev earlier this year they looked like relegation candidates. They now look even more like thy're going down. The finacial situation has been a concern for some time now, and relegation will certainly not help that.

Workington are no closer to a revival at present and the chances of a West Cumbrian SL team seem to lie only with both clubs going bust and being forced by this into a merger, as any other sort of merger seems highly unlikely.

When I saw Whitehaven at Fev earlier this year they looked like relegation candidates. They now look even more like thy're going down. The finacial situation has been a concern for some time now, and relegation will certainly not help that.

Workington are no closer to a revival at present and the chances of a West Cumbrian SL team seem to lie only with both clubs going bust and being forced by this into a merger, as any other sort of merger seems highly unlikely.

That could be the only way out and the successful way to get a Cumbria SL team. But what stadium would they play out of, is the new ground proposed gonna go ahead?

When I saw Whitehaven at Fev earlier this year they looked like relegation candidates. They now look even more like thy're going down. The finacial situation has been a concern for some time now, and relegation will certainly not help that.

Workington are no closer to a revival at present and the chances of a West Cumbrian SL team seem to lie only with both clubs going bust and being forced by this into a merger, as any other sort of merger seems highly unlikely.

It might attract some sort of financial support IF the RFL and SL made the area a development area same as other expansion clubs with similar "favours" regarding quota players, travelling subsistence, etc, etc. With only aroiund 160,000 population in the whole of the Allerdale and Copeland areas of the county this would be necessary to get it up and running but a team holding its own or even winning most matches would certainly get the support.

I remember when .............................

"It is impossible not to feel a twinge of sympathy for Workington Town, the fall guys this season for the Super League's determination to retain it's European dimension, in the shape of Paris. While the French have had every assistance to survive, the importance of having a flagship in a heartland area like West Cumbria has been conveniently forgotten." - Dave Hadfield - Independent 25th August 1996.

The American chairman was on the radio tonight - Haven will not be going into admin.They are just balancing their income and expenditure. Crowds have plummeted this season in response to poor results.

West Cumbria is now just a talent pool for the SL clubs, ther's no interest in playing for Town or Haven. Loads of young players regularly go for trials at various clubs as well as others being part of academies.However, in time that talent pool will decrease and then that talent pool will be lost.

The proposed Cumbria v England game for Garry Purdham will be the last rep game for a long time in W Cumbria if things continue.

Not wanting to dine out on others misfortune but ((if)) Barrow keep up the forwards momentum, maybes we can be the major club in the county and the very best of the West Cumbrian talent could end up in the South of the country ? as its tends to happen that way historically doesn't it.

Not wanting to dine out on others misfortune but ((if)) Barrow keep up the forwards momentum, maybes we can be the major club in the county and the very best of the West Cumbrian talent could end up in the South of the country ? as its tends to happen that way historically doesn't it.

Played for all three clubs Oh and Carlisle...all this talk of mergers and a Cumbrian SL team will only happen if1.Town and Haven come to some realistic agreement.2.Money is pumped into the area to stop all the top youth talent signing for out of county clubs.3.Small minded fans (200 from each club) realise until they get their heads out of the sand the game at pro level is dead.4.A neutral ground is developed5.The RFL give West Cumbria the same development as Wales,France and London6.Barrow realise they are still part fo Lancashire

Played for all three clubs Oh and Carlisle...all this talk of mergers and a Cumbrian SL team will only happen if1.Town and Haven come to some realistic agreement.2.Money is pumped into the area to stop all the top youth talent signing for out of county clubs.3.Small minded fans (200 from each club) realise until they get their heads out of the sand the game at pro level is dead.4.A neutral ground is developed5.The RFL give West Cumbria the same development as Wales,France and London6.Barrow realise they are still part fo Lancashire

Agree as well with Yanto.It seems to me that West Cumbria has been identified by the RFL as a prime area where future SL players are going to come from, but to do absolutely nothing to develop the area, or to look at it in depth at the area as an expansion of SL.After all, when Gateshead were in SL, their development area (or however it was called) was West Cumbria.

Many Cumbrian kids compete with any region in the country - West Cumbria were the U-18 champs this season. However, the kids only gravitate to SL clubs not Championship as they can't see any future.

I went to a Wigan game last season (see the pattern) and bumped into an ex work colleague with 30-odd under 11's or 12's in tow. I bet a lot of those kids have never been any where near Derwent park or The Rec.

Agree as well with Yanto.It seems to me that West Cumbria has been identified by the RFL as a prime area where future SL players are going to come from, but to do absolutely nothing to develop the area, or to look at it in depth at the area as an expansion of SL.After all, when Gateshead were in SL, their development area (or however it was called) was West Cumbria.

Many Cumbrian kids compete with any region in the country - West Cumbria were the U-18 champs this season. However, the kids only gravitate to SL clubs not Championship as they can't see any future.

I went to a Wigan game last season (see the pattern) and bumped into an ex work colleague with 30-odd under 11's or 12's in tow. I bet a lot of those kids have never been any where near Derwent park or The Rec.

It's no good blaming the RFL on this one. If they went in and laid out a plan for the development of the game in West Cumbria, culminating with a club playing in SL, there would be uproar amongst the diehards (from Town, Haven and across the M62). They'd be complaining about forced mergers and whatever else, and instead of asking the opinions of 160,000 people living in the area everyone would be paying attention to a couple of hundred refuseniks with loud voices.

If anything is going to change then it has to come from the locals, it really does. Only then could the RFL even consider getting involved.

"Just as we had been Cathars, we were treizistes, men apart."
Jean Roque, Calendrier-revue du Racing-Club Albigeois, 1958-1959

It seems to me that West Cumbria has been identified by the RFL as a prime area where future SL players are going to come from, but to do absolutely nothing to develop the area, or to look at it in depth at the area as an expansion of SL.

Do you know that there are 5 RFL funded development officers in the area ? However, there isn't one of them that's employed to do schools/junior development !

There's one each for coaching development, refereees, Over 35's and Tag RL and a general one who does a bit of everything.

But not one specific junior development officer.

With the resources being put into Over 35's and Tag it seems to me that the name of the game these days is simply to record increased participation in "RL" at whatever level in order to justify the Sport England funding. It does nothing for the future development of the game though.